The Adept's Guide to Weyard
by Tacel
Summary: Five years after the lighting of Mars Lighthouse, the worldwide trip so fondly discussed by Jenna and her friends is finally going to take place. Naturally, not everything goes as expected.
1. Prologue: Vale

Author's Note: I'm feeling slightly ambitious right this second, and so this story is born. I should warn you now—updating will be sporadic, as I'm working on another story as well. But I feel fairly certain no one else has attempted this yet, so here goes.

* * *

The Adept's Guide to Weyard, Prologue: Where It All Began

* * *

The idea had seemed so simple at the time—one day, when they were done with the whole 'saving-the-world' thing, they would travel the world once more. This time though, they would do so to enjoy themselves and see old friends again.

But five years had passed since they'd returned to the rubble that was Vale, and still no fantastic trip. Sure, the new Vale was more magnificent than the original, and life was peaceful and happy. Sure, all eight of them had kept in touch over the years. But five years was long enough, and Jenna was fully inclined to be childish if it would convince Felix and Isaac that it was finally time to take that trip.

"Feeeeeeeeeeelix!"

"Really, Jenna. We've got plenty to do here. Leaving right now is hardly the best choice," Felix protested stiffly, casting a look at Isaac that clearly said, 'HELP ME OUT HERE!'

Jenna chose to ignore it.

"Oh please. Vale's only building project is a new fountain, the elders aren't mad at you, and Garet's so bored that he's taken to setting things on fire just so he has something to fix around here. Right, Isaac?" She shot her childhood friend her most winning look, and between her pretty (and almost threatening) smile and Felix's glare, the poor boy looked ready to bolt.

"Jenna does have a point about Garet," he offered as an attempt at neutrality. "Besides, it would be fun to go and see everyone again, right?"

"Yeah, Felix, you're just afraid Vale can't survive without you here to protect it." A bit of a low blow, but boredom made Jenna desperate.

"N-no I'm not!" Felix sputtered, and focused his frustrated on Isaac, "And _you_, you've got to have some of your own opinions, or you'll never survive more than three dates with Jenna!"

Now it was Isaac's turn to stammer awkwardly, though it went unnoticed as Jenna immediately resumed squabbling with her brother. Why Felix continued to protest when Jenna was obviously going to win was beyond him.

So, while the two continued to argue, he took the opportunity to think of ways to tell his parents about the inevitable trip. After all of the near-death events amongst his family, both his mom and dad were reluctant to let him travel much farther than Vault these days, in spite of the fact he was twenty-two, and far more skilled in Psynergy than either of them. Even that hardly seemed to matter much these days, as most of the monsters were either extinct or hiding in the deepest recesses of the forests. Most of their armor and supplies had been sold after the events at the Mars Lighthouse, but some of the most powerful items had been kept for (mostly) sentimental reasons, and they could probably be prepared to leave within a few days, so long as Garet stayed focused on the task at hand.

As Isaac moved on to wondering whether Garet would immediately demand they visit Imil first or not, he was pulled out of his thoughts by a rather forceful Jenna,

"C'mon, Isaac! We have to tell Garet we're leaving soon!" The triumphant smile on her face was enough to distract him from feeling pity for a defeated-looking Felix.

He didn't think much on how odd it was that Felix was reluctant to travel, as Jenna was still gripping his hand as they raced for Garet's house, and he couldn't quite wipe the silly grin off his face by the time they reached their friend's house.

"Hi, Kay! Is Garet here?" Jenna smiled brightly as Kay answered the door.

"Unfortunately, yes. The oaf nearly burnt my garden again," she snapped (though it was obvious she was still fond of her silly brother), and soon enough they heard the Fire Adept's footsteps pound through the house.

"Who's at the door, Kay?"

"It's us, Garet!" Jenna called, and soon their tall, red-headed friend met them at the doorway, grinning at his two best friends.

"So what's the occasion? Prank on Felix? Visit to places forbidden by the elders? Near death experiences?"

"Nothing like that," Jenna replied casually, and grinning all the wider, "We're just letting you know that you need to be packed up and ready to leave by the end of the week."

"Wha-what?"

"We're going on a trip," Isaac explained, "to visit every place we saw during our mission."

"Really!?"

"Yep."

"Wow. So that means Felix agreed to go too?"

"After Jenna 'persuaded' him by whin—OW!"

"That's great!" Garet exclaimed, not particularly sympathetic towards Isaac's punched shoulder, and Jenna had done the same thing to him almost as often.

"So it's official then!" Jenna remarked, grinning just as widely as before.

"Guess so," Garet agreed, "I can't believe we're actually taking the trip after all these years."

And so, after a long and well-deserved stay in their hometown, Isaac, Garet, Jenna, and Felix left early in the morning a few days later, sent off by their families and a few friends. Their provisions were fairly light, but since they were stopping off in Vault, there was no need to load up just yet. Garet thought it was a shame that they didn't have the Djinn for company, and Jenna was quickly getting bored of all the walking, but none could deny that all four were excited—even Felix.


	2. Chapter 1: Vault and Lunpa

Author's Note: This note is pretty much unnecessary, since I received only one review, and as I don't accept demands…sorry. Input is fine, but the quality of my story shouldn't be judged on whether or not I ship a certain pair. Sorry.

I'm grouping two cities into one chapter, probably because Vault isn't all that exciting without thieves, and Lunpa doesn't have much to offer either.

Disclaimer: I am but a poor college student, and would rather spend my money on coffee than the rights to Golden Sun.

* * *

The Adept's Guide to Weyard, Chapter 1: Non-adventures in Vault, Vanishing Acts in Lunpa

* * *

"Look, actual people!"

"Oh c'mon, Garet, it hasn't been _that_ long since we left Vale!" Jenna replied, raising her eyebrows. She was bored too, but really!

"I know, but I'm starving! Do you think the food's as good as it was the last time we visited, Isaac?"

"Umm…maybe…" Isaac offered, though to be honest, he didn't really remember all that much about what they ate in Vault. He'd been a little preoccupied with the small things—rescuing Jenna, meeting Ivan, stopping a band of thieves.

"Like he remembers, Garet. Honestly, no one has a stomach like yours!" Jenna teased, looping her arm through Isaac's, much to Felix's discomfort. It wasn't like he was offended or something, it was just a little awkward to have his sister dating someone who been his childhood friend and part time enemy.

"I wonder if they ever caught those thieves again…" Garet wondered aloud, steering the subject away from mockery of his eating habits.

"I don't know. If they're the ones you're thinking of, I doubt they did much else besides recover after they attacked us in the caves," Felix replied calmly, brushing away his brooding as they entered the town of Vault.

"Hooray! Vault!" Jenna remarked to no one in particular. She hadn't seen very much of it, as Saturos and Menardi had tended to travel quickly, and her tendencies to be rebellious towards them hadn't exactly earned her any free time either.

Felix paid for their rooms ('Loads cheaper than some of the other places we visited!'), and Garet quickly found the kitchens, leaving the other three to do as they please.

"I'm going to pay a quick visit to mayor, if you don't mind," Isaac informed the two siblings, and with a small smile at Jenna, was headed for the north end of town.

Jenna exchanged a glance with her brother, and asked,

"Now what?"

He shrugged. "There's really not much to do, is there?"

"Nope. I think there was a cave around here. Want to look?"

"Not really."

"Oh. Umm…do you want to visit the shops? Maybe we could pick a few extra supplies."

"We haven't even used anything yet. Except for the food, but Garet will take care of that."

"I forgot."

The two continued to wander aimlessly for a little while, before Jenna broke the silence again,

"You know, Vault's really boring. No wonder we didn't stay long."

"That and the fact your boyfriend was chasing us."

"He's not my boyfriend," replied Jenna stiffly, frowning.

"Really? After all of Sheba's teasing and clinging on to him for five years…"

"He just hasn't asked me yet," Jenna mumbled defensively. She was liking Vault less and less, though Felix was increasingly amused.

"Hey! There you are!"

"Garet? I didn't think that you'd show up until the kitchen staff kicked you out!" Jenna remarked, just barely more surprised than Felix.

"Yeah, well, apparently 'all you can eat' is some kind of what-do-you-call –it."

"A euphemism?" Jenna suggested, though Felix had a feeling that wasn't the right word either.

"Yeah, that. They got mad after I asked for an eighth helping."

"Well, most people don't eat that much," Felix remarked dryly, and Garet shrugged, glancing around.

"You know, Vault's a lot more boring than I remember," he added after a moment's inspection, "I mean, last time we were here, there were bandits, and we met Ivan. Plus there were these really cool caves, and we picked up one of Isaac's djinni here."

"Anything left in the caves?" Jenna asked hopefully.

"Nah. We snatched it all."

* * *

The whole day might have been a bust if Isaac hadn't returned and informed them that Lunpa was allowing people to enter the town. They spent the next few hours exploring the caves (just in case), and after a so-so dinner at the inn, went to sleep early so that they could get up and head out for Lunpa.

The walk there, much like the trek to Vault, was more or less uneventful. Garet was hungry twenty minutes after breakfast, Felix didn't speak a word, Isaac and Jenna tended to get 'separated' from the other two, and there was more than a little annoyance when they reached Lunpa, only to have the guards recognize Isaac and Garet, and shut the doors to the town.

"Oh no, what _will_ we do," Isaac remarked with not a little sarcasm, and Garet chuckled a little as the two began heading towards the west of town.

"Wait, where are we going?" asked Jenna, jogging to catch up with the two, and Felix actually looked a little curious too.

"Well, when we were trying to rescue Hammet – the guy who raised Ivan, you know – the city was closed, and we found another entrance," Isaac explained.

"Yeah, it's a good thing we kept this!" Garet added, pulling out the small Frost Gem from his pocket.

"Well, I'll take that then," Felix replied, taking the blue stone from Garet, and at his dumbfounded look added, "Well, letting a Mars Adept use water Psynergy seems like a bad idea."

Isaac, Jenna, and Garet stood in shocked silence as Felix created a pillar to force the gate of the cave open, and they followed him wordlessly.

"Does he know that Mia gave that stone to Garet as a gift?" Isaac whispered, and Jenna shrugged. "I guess not. But don't worry; we can get it back when Felix falls asleep tonight." She grinned conspiratorially at him, and Isaac couldn't help but smile back.

"Stop flirting and hurry up!" Garet grumbled, and the two quickly followed them out into Lunpa.

* * *

"So this is Lunpa, huh?" Felix remarked, "Seems kind of peaceful for a town of thieves."

"Well, after we rescued Hammet, Dodonpa had to keep things quiet for a while. I guess they just got used to having things peaceful around here," replied Isaac.

"Yeah, because we throttled that guy's stupid cronies!" Garet added proudly, and Jenna barely managed not to laugh at him.

"Right, well, is there anything in particular you wanted to see, Isaac?" Felix asked, because it seemed to him that this town wasn't much more interesting than Vault—other than the fortifications, of course.

"We could always explore the hideout. I always wondered if there was anything more to the cave systems there."

"All right then."

"Of course, we're going to need the Cloak Ball. Do you remember who has it?"

"Umm…I thought Ivan had it last."

"Nope." Jenna suddenly added.

"What?"

"Well, I thought it looked really interesting, and, well, I kind of got Ivan to give it to me."

"How?" Asked Felix, giving his sister a skeptical look.

"That's not important." Jenna replied stubbornly, turning a little pink.

"You didn't flirt with him, did you?" Asked, Garet, grinning wider and wider, while Isaac looked increasingly more uncomfortable.

"I might have given him a few pointers on how to talk to girls…"

"Jenna!" Felix admonished, "Manipulating a fifteen-year-old like that is just mean!"

"Oh come on, Felix! He can read minds!" Jenna defended, crossing her arms stubbornly.

"Well, the point is we have it now, so we can still go explore, I guess," Isaac interrupted, decidedly unhappy with the whole situation.

"Exactly!" Jenna added, shooting him a look of gratitude, which only made Isaac turn a little pink too.

"Not this again…" Garet mumbled, somewhat fed up with the ridiculous amount of, for lack of a better word, 'couple-y-ness,' between his two best friends.

* * *

Truth be told, there wasn't anything all that interesting the caves. They found a little money – which they didn't particularly need – and Garet enjoyed spooking any women that passed by, but all in all, it was still more interesting than Vault.

"So should we head to Bilibin next?" asked Felix, though his request was more of an order.

"Seems like the right idea," agreed Isaac.

"And then north to Imil, right?" Garet added, unable to curb his enthusiasm.

"I don't know," Jenna teased, "it's awfully cold up there. Kolima sounds more exciting. What do you think, Felix?"

"Yeah, sounds nice."

"Hey! You don't have to be so mean!" whined Garet, as the others dissolved in laughter.

"Don't worry Garet, we wouldn't dream of taking this trip without Mia," Isaac said, hoping to placate his friend.

It worked, apparently, because he announced he was going to sleep, and trudged up the inn stairs to the room he was sharing with Isaac and Felix. After Jenna shot a pointed look at Felix, her brother wasn't long in following Garet upstairs to get some sleep.

"Want to go for a walk?" she ventured, and wasn't all that surprised when he nodded his assent.

They spoke very little as they wandered along the town wall, simply enjoying a little time away from the watchful eyes of Garet and Felix—not that they were up to anything, it was just nice to have some privacy. When they reached the far end of the perimeter, Isaac sat down and motioned for Jenna to join him. She was happy to oblige, and rested her head on his shoulder. Isaac was perfectly content to stay that way, enjoying the silence, but Jenna, not exactly one for constant quiet, remarked,

"It's pretty tonight."

"Mmhmm."

"I'm going to miss these warm nights when we go to Imil," she added, and Isaac looked at her quizzically.

"I'm sure it won't be all bad, Jenna."

"Yeah, I guess." Yep, Isaac thought, she was definitely up to something.

"I guess Garet's going to be thrilled about seeing Mia. I mean, they did have some kind of connection there, right?"

"Yeah…"

"And you'll be glad to see her again too, huh? I mean, the four of you did travel around the world together."

"Well, yeah. She was a good friend," Isaac remarked, smiling slightly. He knew where this was going.

"Of course. Just a very good, very pretty friend," Jenna replied, trying not to sound jealous.

Shaking his head, Isaac pulled her to her feet to stand facing him.

"Jenna, she was and is just my friend. You're the one I want."

"I know that!" huffed Jenna, though she looked pleased at the admission.

"Of course you do. Although, you look pretty when you're jealous," Isaac added.

Jenna stood there, ready to shoot off a sharp reply, but she more or less managed only an "Isaac, y—mmf!" as he planted a short kiss on her mouth before jumping down off the wall and running for the safety of the inn.

An astounded Jenna stared after him for about a second before taking off after him, but he'd already made it to the boys' room by the time she caught up to him, and there was _no_ way she was going to talk about this within twenty feet of Felix. So, glaring at his retreating back, she stormed into her own room and slammed the door.

Not that she was really angry, of course.

* * *

End note: Remember, reviews motivate me to write more chapters!

-Tacel


	3. Chapter 2: Bilibin and Imil

Author's Note: Yes, I am aware it's been a year, two months, and some odd weeks. Sorry. College is a busy, busy place. Summer, not so much, and thus I can probably crank out a few chapters. I know it's long, but then again you're probably entitled to a long chapter. Reviews are great!

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own these games, characters, places, etc. I'm just bored.

* * *

The Adept's Guide to Weyard, Chapter 2: Avoiding Bilibin, Awkward Reunions in Imil

* * *

"Felix, are you really sure that visiting Bilibin is such a good idea? I mean, we might have saved them from turning into trees, but Lady McCoy isn't exactly our biggest fan."

"Well, she doesn't remember Jenna or me. Maybe if you and Garet can avoid causing a commotion, they won't even notice we're there."

"Hey! That's not fair, Felix! I don't always cause a commotion!" Garet defended, though even he didn't seem to believe his own words. Isaac and Jenna snickered, and even Felix smirked a little.

"Right, and I'm sure you two boys have no desire to skip over Bilibin in order to reach a Imil faster, huh?" Jenna added, "Maybe we should just go south to Kalay and skip Angara altogether!"

"Hah! You just don't want Isaac to bump into Feihzi again!" Garet shot right back. Felix and Isaac looked increasingly uncomfortable with the way this was going.

"Please! The only person who got flustered when we brought her up was Ivan, and even he isn't interested in her!" Jenna replied hotly, while both Venus Adepts quietly began to distance themselves from their arguing friends.

What had been friendly teasing might have ended with several scorch-marked spots in the plains, had they not found themselves standing in front of Bilibin. A soft-spoken but firm reminder from Felix about avoiding unnecessary attention shut both of them up, and they were a little more subdued once they passed through the entrance gate.

Garet immediately said something about being hungry, and Isaac and Jenna had already snuck off, leaving Felix standing by himself in front of the inn. Rolling his eyes at his friends' antics, the Venus Adept took the opportunity to wander the town. Little had changed, though there was significantly less lumber lying around, and a few added buildings. Lady McCoy had gotten her palace, it seemed, though it was built with more stone than wood. The others ambling around took no notice of Felix, and he was relieved to note that no one seemed to be aware that Isaac and Garet were in town either. Though it was probably hard to see Garet's face under all that food, Felix thought with a smile, and he doubted Jenna was interested in letting others intrude on her time with Isaac. This didn't elicit the same amusement; mostly just a weird unsettling feeling. So far, their newly official 'couple' status had changed very little, but Felix was somewhat unfamiliar with how one behaved towards a friend who was now his little sister's boyfriend.

These were the sort of situations that made him miss Sheba. Not only would she have teased the couple mercilessly, but she would have been able to help Felix figure out his position on the whole matter. Five years had passed, and he'd thought about finding someone else, but he had yet to find someone remotely as interesting. He'd more or less kept his anxiety about reaching Lalivero under wraps, but occasionally Jenna would give him a sympathetic smile, and except for a slip-up or two, no one had brought Sheba up in ages.

But all of this was getting a little too melancholy. It wasn't like they had lost communication, and he would see her before the month was over. Felix prided himself on being a pretty steady man, and even a temporary lapse into the dramatic was quickly shrugged off like a fallen leaf. Checking his surroundings, he noticed Isaac and Jenna were headed his way, hand in hand, and he waved. Rather than waiting for them to reach him, Felix met them halfway, and was soon caught up in the debate about whether or not it would be rude to leave without even the smallest courtesy visit to Lord McCoy. But with Garet still nowhere to be found, they opted to call it a night after a quiet dinner at the inn.

Of course, quiet was a relative term, especially after Garet arrived, a meal and a few pints already in his system. Apparently all earlier arguments had been completely forgotten, as he and Jenna were getting along just fine, and there was laughter all around, as the four exchanged a few funny anecdotes about their different experiences.

"Hey Issac, remember when we saved those trees that fell in the water! And then the girl gave you that 'special' present!" Garet roared with laughter at his own joke, while the others rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, well, I think you owe Felix a thank-you for that one, since he's the one that tripped and knocked into them!" Jenna added, and Felix quickly denied it while Garet and Isaac asked for details.

"Actually, I think it was Alex's sudden craving for persimmons…" Felix said, and the others laughed even harder—the idea of Alex having fruit cravings was just too farfetched.

Garet was the first to decide to head up to bed—after falling asleep in his pie. It didn't take long for the others to follow, though Isaac and Jenna noticeably lingered in the hall before Isaac finally joined Felix and Garet in their shared room. Felix opted not to say anything about it, and Isaac followed suit, saying little beyond, "You'd think saving the world would get us better rooms." Garet was already asleep, snoring away, and Isaac was soon dreaming as well. Felix drifted between sleeping and waking for a little while yet. Tomorrow, Imil.

* * *

The trip from Bilibin to Imil was fairly uneventful, though steadily colder. Garet complained of a slight headache, and Isaac and Jenna were constantly teasing him about his refusal to take even the shortest rest ("You don't want to be sweaty and gross when you meet Mia, do you?" "Do you really want to pass out from exhaustion right in front of Mia?"). Felix said little, other than expressing some pleasure at how much easier it was to navigate the caves since lighting the lighthouses.

When they emerged from said caves, blinking rapidly as their eyes adjusted, the sun was just setting, casting a golden glow on the turquoise lighthouse and bouncing off the snow-covered houses of the village of Imil. They were all smiling, looking forward to seeing Mia again, though none could quite quicken their pace to match that of Garet, whose already large stride was awfully to close to running, in spite of how much distance they'd covered.

Sure enough, when they finally burst into Imil, they were all breathless and gasping for air. Garet barely broke stride, and made a beeline for Imil's sanctum, but in his haste fell flat on his back—he'd neglected to slow down for the iced-over river. Felix and the others came tumbling after him, crashing into a big heap. All of the commotion caused several people to poke their heads out of various houses, and Mia soon emerged from the sanctum. The startled look on her face quickly gave way to laughter, as a very embarrassed Garet struggled to his feet. Felix nudged Isaac and Jenna out of their awkward cuddle session, and the other three rushed to say hello to their blue-haired friend, who was currently doubled-over laughing at their clumsy entrance. Garet seemed to have suddenly developed a shy streak, and it was Mia, rather than Garet, who initiated a warm hug. She quickly moved on to hug the others, and the five red-faced friends were soon ambling indoors to warm up.

"So why didn't you tell me you were coming!? And what brings you here? Nothing bad, I hope?" Mia's questions came out in rapid succession, starting with elation and ending with concern before Garet finally managed to interrupt and reply,

"Well, why would we write to tell you when we'd arrive before the mail?"

"Yeah, Garet doesn't really know how to slow down," Isaac added, and Jenna laughed. Mia pretended not to hear, and Felix finally explained,

"We – that is, Jenna, - insisted we take some time away from Vale to visit everyone again. We've already been to Vault, Lunpa, and Bilibin."

"Sounds exciting!"

"It's actually pretty dull so far…" Isaac admitted, and Jenna elbowed him, "Oh, I don't know…you haven't been bored the _whole_ time have you?" He blushed a little, and Garet and Mia laughed, though Garet looked a little embarrassed as he continued,

"You're welcome to come with us, you know. Unless you have to stay and do the healer thing…"

"Nonsense! Megan and Justin have it well under control! Besides, the Fountain of Hermes is still working."

"Great! It's decided then! I'm so glad I'm not the only girl anymore!" Jenna enthused, though she didn't look like she'd been all that miserable, even now curled up with an equally pleased Isaac.

Felix smiled as well, glad that Mia was joining them. They weren't particularly close, but he enjoyed her company nonetheless, and especially since she didn't feel like she always had to break the silence (something Garet and Jenna were often wont to do).

"So should we celebrate or something? I'm starving!" Garet said, practically giddy with delight.

Rather than yet another night with inn meals and beds, they joined Megan and Justin for dinner at Mia's, and passed a wonderful evening catching up. Eventually, Megan and Justin went home, and Felix, Isaac, and Jenna saw fit to leave Mia and Garet alone for a little while (it took a little convincing on Isaac's part to get Jenna to leave quietly), by offering to clean up the dishes and set up some makeshift space for them to sleep.

If Mia was suspicious, she didn't let it on, and while Garet caught her up on their latest adventures, she half-listened, half-absorbed the whole scene. Imil had been her home for so long, but she couldn't help but feel excited about leaving it behind yet again, especially to travel with her best friends. Besides, Imil reminded her of Alex, and Mia wanted desperately to move beyond that past, and maybe towards a future with the others. Maybe even Garet. Though as they sat there comfortably, talking as old friends, she had a hard time imagining them moving on. Maybe it just wasn't time yet for anything more.

Regardless, her guilt at having let the others clean up had taken over, and soon she'd roped Garet into helping her move furniture around for the evening, and when everyone settled, she was soon gone, with the excuse that if they were leaving, she needed to start packing. She tried not to notice that Garet looked a little crestfallen over how eager she was to leave the others, and was soon caught up in a flurry of getting things ready. Even though they were staying another day, packing now would help get her mind off the sudden change of events. After five years of separation, to see so many of her friends all of a sudden…a lot had changed, but a lot had not. Isaac and Jenna had finally stopped dancing around each other's feelings, but they were just as close-knit as ever. Felix was just as quiet, and Garet was, Garet. Mia felt a little flutter, but wasn't willing to put down to any kind of crush or jealousy.

It was nerve-wracking exhilaration about the trip, she finally decided, and fell asleep looking forward to the next day's exploration of the lighthouse.


	4. Chapter 3: Mercury Lighthouse and Kolima

Author's Note: Yay! I got a review! And 100% of readers who read the first chapter read the second, which is an excellent, albeit unwritten, compliment. This chapter is where things start to get interesting, I hope.

Disclaimer: Golden Sun is owned by Camelot, and as I am not a company, it's not mine.

* * *

_The Adept's Guide to Weyard, Chapter 3: _Surprises at the Lighthouse Don't Guarantee Excitement

* * *

While the Adepts slept about as comfortably as sardines in Mia's otherwise comfortable abode, Imil seemed to have gathered another three inches of snow. At first, her newly arrived friends exhibited childlike excitement over the snow (even Felix, though to a lesser extent), but it soon gave way to irritation. As it turned out, snow was excellent camouflage for slippery ice, and did not shovel pathways itself. Mia could only laugh at their downtrodden faces when they trudged back in after only ten minutes and offer them hot drinks.

Once they had regained more cheerful moods, Felix felt it necessary to bring up their planned excursion to the Mercury Lighthouse. As he softly, but assertively, emphasized that they ought to plan and prepare, Garet interrupted,

"This was the first lighthouse we lit! What could we possibly find there now that's any danger?"

"He does have a point, Felix. The people here have been using the fountain for years now, with no incident," Mia agreed.

"Still, I think we'd best be prepared." Felix replied, with a tone of finality. Isaac and Jenna had wisely opted to stay silent, and after an enjoyable meal, they gathered their weapons, armor, and a few healing items, and set off.

The hike to the Lighthouse was good only in that it was brief. The snow covered all recognizable paths, and Garet wasn't the only one to fall into a deep drift. Everyone was in a foul mood by the time they reached the lighthouse, even the normally good-natured Mia trading a few barbs with Felix. The exterior of Mercury Lighthouse looked the same as before—the elevators stood waiting, the fountain trickled softly, and the blue stones glimmered with the light emanating from the lighthouse's peak. With tempers so short, Isaac tried to suggest that they use the elevators to quickly check on things, but Felix was adamant about sticking to the plan.

The inside of the lighthouse was more or less how the five remembered it, which one exception: many of the pitfalls and broken pathways were now smooth and flawless. A feeling of newness was pervasive in the air, replacing all of their original associations of this place with ruins. They stared (Garet slack-jawed) in confusion, before Felix asked quietly,

"Has anyone from the village been inside since we left?"

"Of course not," Mia replied, somewhat defensively, "they know not to venture past the fountains."

"Then how…?" Garet trailed off, still looking around the central room.

"Maybe Kraden can explain it?" Jenna offered, but Isaac looked unconvinced,

"He's a bit preoccupied with his studies in Tolbi. I guess we could write to him…"

"We'll see him soon enough. Besides, I think I have a guess…" Felix ventured, striding around the room to inspect things more closely.

"Well?" Garet asked, after several minutes had passed.

"The lighthouse was crumbling because it was no longer housing its Elemental Star, right? Well, perhaps it's started to mend itself."

"The elevators did always begin working again," Mia agreed, smiling. The power of the lighthouse was quickly helping to restore her good mood, and now that the lighthouse would be easier to explore, the others were less reluctant to wander around a while longer.

The rest of their explorations were surprisingly dull. Mia wasn't sure what they had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't a lot of empty rooms. Even she had some vague, half-formed hopes for some kind of surprise, something new (and secretly might have been less than furious to see a certain old companion). The puzzles had vanished, replaced by bridges and sculpture. She wasn't sure Felix's guess was wholly accurate – could a lighthouse really make statues as well as repairs? – but she hardly wanted to encounter anything hostile, either.

"What does a lighthouse need all these rooms for now anyways? Why even bother to fix them?" Garet wondered aloud. Felix, Isaac, and Jenna all reacted with skepticism, but Mia couldn't help but wonder the same thing.

* * *

They spent another night in Mia's home before taking their leave of Imil. She was sad to say goodbye to Justin and Megan, but more than happy to be leaving with her friends. The puzzle of the lighthouse still weighed on her mind, but was well-ignored as their hike through the caves gave way to warmer climates and clear paths.

The group had hoped to rest in Bilibin unnoticed, like the last time, but one of McCoy's soldiers spotted them, and they soon found themselves "invited" to have supper and stay the night in his mansion.

"Well, at least the beds are nicer…" Jenna commented, flopping onto one of the two fluffy feather beds in the room provided for her and Mia, who frowned.

"Probably his way of apologizing for his wife's rudeness."

Jenna could only stare. Mia was rarely ill-tempered, and while she wasn't all that fond of either of the McCoys, Jenna was shocked to see Mia react to it that way. Sure, she, Isaac, Garet, and Ivan had saved the whole town, but just because Lady McCoy was more irritated than grateful?

"I suppose…" Jenna mumbled, watching Mia grumpily fluff pillows and smooth over the already smooth quilt. "Is that really what's bothering you?"

Mia looked up, surprised. She and Jenna were hardly close. They got along just fine, sure, but that was about it. Jenna and Sheba were much closer, and Mia, well, she had always kept things to herself.

"Is it about Garet?" Jenna pressed, grinning a little.

"No, nothing like that!" Mia responded, blushing a little in spite of herself. "It's just frustrating to see that even after nearly destroying her whole town out of greed, I hate to see Lady McCoy is still so…"

"Awful?" Jenna volunteered, and both girls found themselves laughing at how ridiculous the whole situation was.

Their laughter was interrupted when Isaac poked his head through to door, but they quickly resumed laughing—this time, at the befuddled look on his face.

"Oh come on, my face isn't that funny…" he protested, "I can just…leave…"

Of course Jenna wasn't having that either, and opted to stop him by dragging him over to sit next to her. Shifting around on the bed, he complained,

"Hey! Your beds are way nicer than ours! Ours are practically military cots!" Both girls laughed, and Jenna teased,

"You can always share with us!" at which Isaac turned red and stuttered something about Felix, while Mia wiped away tears from laughing at Isaac's face, adding to Jenna,

"You should have seen how they reacted the first time we had to camp out with me!"

"That's hardly fair, Mia!" Isaac protested, but both girls only laughed harder. Eventually all the noise drew Garet and Felix to the room, who stood in the doorway, confused.

"We thought someone was being attacked!" Garet finally said, and Isaac began laughing too. Garet decided he'd had enough of the mockery, and leapt onto the bed Jenna and Isaac were on, bouncing the two off of it, and Mia had to wipe tears from her face. Felix stood off to the side still, but he too was smiling. He didn't stay there long, however, because Jenna saw fit to drag him over to join them. He perched on the edge of Mia's bed, chuckling while Jenna attempted to get revenge on Garet by trying to push the much larger Mars Adept off of her bed. Isaac was doubled over laughing at the sight, but only until Jenna decided to give up on knocking Garet down and go after Isaac instead, though more playfully than anything. Isaac attempted to feign fear, but the others only laughed.

Hours later, when all had returned to their own rooms and beds (or 'cots,' in the boys' case), Isaac lay awake, listening to Garet's snores and the creaking of Felix's bed while he tossed and turned. It was not the noise that kept him up, nor any kind of anxiety, however. Rather, he found that he was so unbelievably happy that he couldn't fall asleep. It was strange; after so many years of struggling with a variety of troubles, everyone seemed to be at peace. His father was alive, the world had been saved, Vale was rebuilt, and he was ridiculously happy with Jenna. Isaac had thought he would miss the action more as the years passed, but found that after having to spend their childhoods growing up too fast, it was wonderful to have carefree nights like these, and couldn't wait until their group was wholly reunited.

* * *

They left as early as possible the next morning, hoping to avoid any prolonged good-byes in Bilibin. The journey to Kolima was rather uneventful—even the barrier had been removed. The forest looked about the same as before (at least from a distance), and after making a room reservation at Kolima's inn, they left most of their supplies and backtracked to visit Tret and Laurel, who were far more enthusiastic about seeing them than the McCoys had been. The visit was a short one, but all were surprised to hear from the two trees that the so-called 'evil' forest to the south had withered away three years before. All of them were curious to see the plains, and eagerly headed south of Kolima, to get an idea of what they would be crossing the next day. Unlike the hilly areas they had traversed thus far, the southern plains were gold and green with tall grasses, with an abundance of small animals and cows. It was a sight unfamiliar to the whole group—with all of the monsters, it had been too dangerous to simply let valuable livestock roam unattended. They stayed there, exploring nearby areas until sundown, before heading back to the tall, twinkling treehouses of Kolima for the night.


	5. Chapter 4: Fuchin Temple and Xian

Author's Note: Thanks so much for all of the reviews of this story as well as my recent one-shot. This chapter has been bouncing around in my head for a while, but I've been too busy to write it up until now. I know I don't really dwell on Fuchin Temple, but seriously, once you get Force there's nothing to do there. Not to mention this is the longest chapter yet. Also, in case you're really starting to miss the other three, fear not! Another is joining the ranks next chapter!

Disclaimer: Golden Sun belongs to Camelot. I just like playing with the characters and placing them in awkward situations.

* * *

_The Adept's Guide to Weyard_, Chapter 4: Xian, When Translated, Means 'Awkward Incidents Abound'

* * *

After leaving Kolima bright and early, the group seemed off to a smooth start. No one was bickering, there were no thick forests or frozen tundra to slow them down, and the only obstacle between them and a relaxing visit in Xian was a peaceful, flat plain. In fact, they were so pleased with their progress, that Mia was the only one to even remember that Fuchin Temple was nearby.

"Aren't we going to visit Fuchin?" she'd asked, and Felix and Jenna gave her a confused look.

"What's Fuchin? We never went there," replied Jenna, and Felix nodded.

"It's this temple with a waterfall cave. We got Force there," Isaac explained, and Garet added,

"Yeah, it's really boring!" Mia frowned at him, and replied,

"Garet, without their help we would've spent ages in that forest!"

"Saturos and Menardi just burned their way through," Jenna offered, not so helpfully, and Garet chuckled a little, which only irritated Mia further. Isaac was content to stay quiet on the matter, and kept his distance, until Felix finally intervened,

"Why don't we just drop by long enough for you three to say 'thanks' and then we can keep going to Xian?"

Garet and Isaac shrugged (which was close enough to acquiescence) while Mia smiled gratefully at Felix. Jenna was a little disappointed that her intentions of purchasing some nice silk would be delayed a little longer, but kept it to herself.

And so the five Adepts redirected their path towards the little temple nestled against a waterfall, and were there within a few minutes. The monks' greeting was practically nonexistent, as they seemed determined to remain deep in meditation, and without Ivan or Sheba's mind reading powers, there was little to gather from them. The Great Healer informed them that their leader, Nyunpa, had passed two years prior, supposedly enlightened and at peace. After a few awkward words of condolence, Felix suggested they depart whenever Mia was ready. But with the monks lost in thought, there was not much else for her to do or say, and they left almost immediately.

* * *

"Do you think my brother's getting a little fond of Mia?" Jenna whispered to Isaac, barely suppressing a giggle at the thought. Isaac contemplated this briefly, then mumbled back,

"Maybe…but I thought he was still holding out for Sheba?"

"Well, it has been a long time. I wonder what Garet would think," Jenna replied, a little too loudly, and Garet turned around,

"What are you guys saying about me?"

"Oh, nothing…just wondering if you still wanted to buy those pointy silk slippers," Jenna replied innocently, and Isaac burst into a fit of laughter, while Garet practically turned red with irritation,

"I was only seven when I said I wanted those!"

"Seven? I thought he was curious about them just a few years back…" Felix added dryly, a faint smile flickering on his face, and Mia laughed, which only frustrated Garet more. In his irritation, he strode off a little further from the group, leaving the other four to laugh until they needed to stop for air. Jenna and Isaac pulled back from the other two at Jenna's behest, curious to see if Felix really was interested in Mia, but her curiosity only brought disappointment—the two didn't exchange more than a few words for the rest of the journey to Xian.

When the town, famous for its silk and its kung-fu, did come into view, it was almost dark, and with as the sunlight faded so did Garet's irritation from earlier. He wouldn't have taken it so personally if that dratted Felix hadn't made Mia laugh, and that wouldn't have mattered so much if he hadn't stuck his foot in it by making her angry earlier that morning. The Mars Adept could've kicked himself over it, but going back and apologizing wasn't particularly appealing either. And so, when they did finally reach the town, he congenially announced,

"I'm starving! We should get something to eat!"

The others were quick to agree and after a good dinner and a few drinks, everyone was in high spirits once more.

* * *

Surprisingly, the people of Xian (more specifically Master Feh) left the five travelers alone that first evening. Gossip flew around the town, wild speculation as to the reasons for their return abundant, but no one dared approach them outside of a professional capacity, waiting instead for the Adepts to visit Master Feh. They did so the following morning, with Isaac at the lead (as Felix was not acquainted with the man).

If the Chi-master himself had been busy, he gave his visitors no sign, and politely welcomed them all. Pleasantries and introductions were exchanged, and they had just settled into their seats when Feh's daughter, never one for decorum, burst into the room, eyes alight with the news of Isaac's arrival. She maintained enough composure to keep from rushing the Venus Adept immediately, and was thankful that she'd held back after a moment's study of the situation. She remembered the tall man and blue-haired girl sitting together, they and another boy had traveled with her dear Isaac, but it was the solemn-looking man talking to her father that caused her to blush. How could she ever have confused those sullen features with Isaac's warm smile? Her embarrassment about the situation only escalated further when she noticed that Felix's sister was holding Isaac's hand.

"What? How?" Involuntarily escaped from her lips, and the others looked at her, perplexed. Feh cleared his throat, and in a misguided attempt to smooth over the situation, said,

"Ah, you remember my daughter, Feizhi. Obviously, your return is a bit of a surprise."

"Nice to see you again," Mia finally said, when it seemed obvious that no one else knew quite what to say. Felix nodded politely, and Jenna was frowning, like she was trying to remember something.

"How's Hsu?" Mia added, elbowing Garet, hoping for some support.

"Oh…Hsu? He's fine. He is probably out practicing right now." Feizhi finally managed, not sure to be thankful for Mia's kindness or not. Apparently it was enough to start up some kind of conversation, as Garet chimed in asking about kung-fu and Felix inquired about the condition of Silk Road.

"I remember you now!" Jenna suddenly interrupted, right as Feizhi was finally going to attempt to ask Isaac what he'd been up to. Felix shook his head in a futile attempt at a warning, but Jenna had completely ignored him,

"You're the girl we met in Champa! You thought my brother was Isaac!" She smiled triumphantly, then turned to Isaac, smiling, "thought I'm not sure how happened—you're way too cute to look like Felix!"

Feizhi blushed once more, indignantly, when Isaac asked, "Why were you looking for me?"

Luckily, his question allowed her to inquire hotly of Felix, "Didn't you and that old man promise to give him my message?"

"Umm…well…" Felix stammered, unnerved by the sudden sway of the girl's temper. At some point, Feh had deemed it was high time he left, and with no one to act as a buffer, Felix finally managed to ask,

"Would you like me to pass it on now?"

"And maybe he should mention that he sold the ring ages ago," Jenna interjected, and Felix glared at her.

"Wait wait wait! What is going on?" Isaac finally intervened, much to the amusement of Garet and the consternation of Mia.

"Feizhi was looking for you in Champa and found us instead…she brought you a ring. But we had to sell it to pay for repairs on Piers' ship," Felix reluctantly admitted, adding, "long story short, so much time passed between our visit to Champa and meeting at Jupiter Lighthouse, we, well…forgot to mention it."

"Oh…" Isaac said, not particularly bothered by it, and turned to Feizhi, who was growing more embarrassed by the minute, "So what did you want to tell me?"

"N-nothing. I was simply going to express Xian's thanks for saving Hsu."

"Oh. Well, uh, you're welcome…?" Isaac smiled warmly, only to wince when Jenna elbowed him, "That really hurt, Jenna!"

"Perhaps we had better get going…" Mia suggested, rising from her seat, "We have a few more errands we were hoping to accomplish in town. We aren't leaving until tomorrow, though," she smiled, attempting to offer the poor girl a way out of a conversation that was obviously going to end badly.

"Of course," Feizhi agreed, the smile on her face expressing her relief. Manners took over, and with her newly regained composure, she added, "And please, my father and I would be honored if you joined us for dinner tonight."

Garet eagerly accepted for them, and the others politely exchanged a few parting words, and everyone but Isaac noticed that Feizhi blushed yet again when Isaac said 'bye.'

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying far less tense activities. Mia expressed curiosity about how Xian's silk was formed, and they spent a short time watching workers harvest the threads from silk worms and weave it into fabric. While the others weren't particularly fascinated by the process, it did remind Jenna that she had really wanted to do some shopping, and she quickly coerced Isaac into joining her. Mia was eager to join in as well; only Garet and Felix held fast and headed towards the weapons seller (with not a few jokes at Isaac's expense).

"You know, Isaac," Mia remarked from behind the curtain where she and Jenna were trying on robes, "you might want to watch how you treat Feizhi. She has a bit of a crush on you."

"What was your first clue? The fact she tried to find him in _Champa_, or the frilly ring she made?" Jenna replied, not unkindly, and Mia rolled her eyes (but was grinning all the same). Neither girl could see Isaac's reaction, but Jenna could imagine the dumbfounded expression on his face, which would quickly succumb to confusion, guilt, and then finally settle on worry. Her suspicions were confirmed when after a long pause, he finally asked,

"What am I supposed to do about it?"

"You might start by explaining you have a girlfriend," Jenna muttered, and Mia added,

"Be nice, but not too nice. Don't flaunt being with Jenna, but don't pretend that you're not in a relationship either. She'll get the idea."

"I didn't know that not liking a girl could be so complicated," said Isaac, and Jenna could almost hear him fidgeting with his favorite yellow scarf. His face immediately brightened when his friend and girlfriend emerged, both carrying small bundles of silk (of course Mia's was dyed blue), and subject was dropped once the girls went to pay for their new things.

"C'mon, I want to see if Garet managed to break anything!" Jenna announced, and Isaac replied,

"Well I want to see if Felix got stuck with the bill!"

All three laughing, they left to join their friends.

* * *

If Isaac had thought something was strange about that morning's meeting, eating with Feh and Feizhi was even more awkward. Master Feh was strangely quiet, until Felix engaged him on the subject of weaponry, and a lively little debate was sparked between them. Feizhi barely looked at Isaac for the duration of the meal, choosing to speak mostly to Mia and Garet. She was nothing if not polite to Isaac and Jenna, but her disappointment was fairly obvious. Once the meal was concluded, the only person hesitant to leave was Felix, who was eager to continue his discussion. With a few painful 'encouragements' from Jenna and some gentler reminders from Mia, he was persuaded to leave, and they trudged back to the inn to get some rest. Garet announced he was exhausted, and Felix quickly decided he was too, hoping to fall asleep before Garet's snoring began. Mia made no ostentatious show of leaving, and rather suddenly, Isaac and Jenna found they were the only ones left. After a furtive glance, Isaac embraced his girlfriend and kissed her softly.

"What was that for?" She asked, flushing pink in spite of herself.

"For not killing Feizhi at dinner," replied Isaac, and when Jenna frowned, he added, "I know you thought about it…"

"Well, maybe I considered a few ways that a Flare Storm might improve her face…but only because she didn't even try and be nice to me."

"So you weren't, I don't know, jealous?"

"Of course not!" Jenna replied, perhaps a little too quickly, but recovered, "if you'd so much as looked at her too long I would've set you on fire anyways…"

"Or Felix would find a slow way to kill me," agreed Isaac, grinning, and then added, more seriously, "I like that we trust each other."

"As much as my new silk dress?" Jenna replied, without missing a beat.

"I'll have to think about that," Isaac teased, and Jenna practically giggled as she bounded up the stairs.

Perhaps Xian wasn't a total disaster after all.


	6. Chapter 5: Altin and Kalay

Author's Note: At long last, the overall plot is coughing and sputtering to life! I've got two weeks to crank out a few more chapters before I am going to be on hiatus. (I'll be out of the country and away from any semblance of reliable internet for three months.) Before you get to celebrating or weeping or shrugging, I will say this: I have every intention of finishing it this winter. And everyone will be reunited before I leave, I promise.

On an unrelated note, maybe I should clarify that this is not going to be a Felix/Mia story. I like them together, and see them as becoming good friends, but I'm sticking with the already-implied Felix/Sheba and Garet/Mia.

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or its sequel, but I am excited about Golden Sun DS, which I do not own either. Shocking, really.

* * *

_The Adept's Guide to Weyard_, Chapter Five: An Excess of Excitement in Altin

* * *

Early the next morning, one of the old silk farmers of Xian watched five nervous Adepts take their leave of the sleepy town and disappear into the mist. Most people knew about Feizhi's ill-fated attraction to Isaac by now, and as the farmer was among them, he was torn between laughing at the Venus Adept's frightened backward glances and giving him cause to be frightened. But his time for such excitement was past, and the five wandered off into the mist unhindered, heading straight for Silk Road.

"I could sure use some breakfast. Can we stop at Lama Temple?" Garet grumbled, echoing his stomach.

"If we stop now, we won't make it to Kalay until nightfall. Don't you want to see Ivan?" Mia chided, obviously looking forward to seeing her friend again. Garet shrugged, mumbling something about how breakfast wasn't going to slow them down that much, but Mia chose to ignore his complaining.

Felix, Isaac, and Jenna were more than happy to do the same, and Isaac was curiously taking note of what the repaired Silk Road looked like.

"Trying to catch something with your mouth, Isaac?" Jenna teased, and Isaac promptly shut it.

"Sorry, I haven't seen Silk Road before. At least, not without boulders blocking the way."

"It is a pretty impressive feat; everything's been carved out of the mountainside," Felix agreed, adding, "According to the merchants back in Xian, they've extended it around Lamakan Desert too."

"Really?" Mia piped up, "So we don't have to cross the desert?"

"Apparently not," Felix agreed, and Garet actually let out a cheerful 'whoop' in excitement.

* * *

They progressed far faster than even Felix would have guessed, but the five were more than a little surprised by the sight that met them when they finally reached Kalay. The soldiers were positioned around each of the entrances, at least four to a gate, and quickly halted their progress.

"State your names and reason for visiting Kalay." It wasn't a friendly welcome; that was for sure.

"Felix, Isaac, Garet, Jenna, and Mia, here to visit Ivan and Hama," Felix replied, with equal brevity. The turbaned man doing the questioning looked them over, then asked,

"Do you have a letter of invitation?"

"No."

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait then."

"Hold up, now!" Garet interjected, as the soldier tried to dismiss them, "I can't believe you don't recognize us! Me, Isaac, and Mia are the ones that helped Ivan rescue Hammet! Doesn't that count for something?"

"And the other two?"

"Friends from Vale," Isaac offered, and Mia added, "Please, if you just took us to Hammet's palace, we could explain everything."

"Perhaps we should…" another soldier agreed, but his superior frowned.

"Seriously? What's so difficult about escorting us in? We're not going to run off!" Jenna said hotly, hands on her hips.

"We'd love to expedite this process, miss, but you're simply going to have to wait. We can't risk any troublemakers, what with Hammet travelling and Ivan gone to Altin anyways…" the second soldier apologized, somewhat intimidated by the growing frustration emanating from the five Adepts. The first soldier immediately scolded him, then said, evenly,

"I'm afraid this is as far as you go."

"As impressive as it is, I was really hoping we wouldn't have to travel by Silk Road again," Isaac grumbled, kicking a stray pebble out of his way, and Jenna 'harrumphed' beside him, equally unhappy.

"I can't believe they wouldn't recognize you three. It's not like you're that ordinary-looking."

"Thanks, Jenna."

"Sheesh, Isaac, you know what I mean."

"I just can't believe we have to go back to Altin," Garet said, "It was pretty gross when we were last there."

"Gross?" Felix asked.

"Water statues from the mines had flooded the town by spewing water," Mia explained, and Jenna and Felix made appropriately disgusted faces.

"So…spit-floods aside, why in the name of Mars would Ivan even go to this place?" Jenna asked, and the others shrugged.

"There were some really old ruins, deep in the mines, but there wasn't much of value there," Isaac answered, equally perplexed.

"Yeah, and we took the only interesting thing there—the Lift Gem," Garet agreed.

With that said, none of the Adepts had particularly high expectations for finding anything interesting in Altin. In fact, the only interesting part of the walk there was they got lost twice trying to find the little mountain town. It was nearly dark when they finally spotted little Altin, and tired and cold, they trudged towards the town's gates. Unfortunately, a good night's rest wasn't exactly waiting for them—but someone was.

"Piers?" Jenna practically babbled, stunned to see the Mercury Adept so far away from his beloved ocean, and not to mention his ship.

"Jenna, Felix!" Piers greeted them, hugging both of them before welcoming the other three.

"So what are you doing here?" Felix asked, voicing the group's confusion.

"Well, I was either in the mood for desolate mountain exploration, or Ivan wrote to me. I'm still not sure how he got a letter to me in the first place, but maybe that's a question for another time?" The Lemurian smiled, obviously pleased to see his friends again. "It's a long story; perhaps we should join Ivan and Hama at the inn?"

The others nodded mutely and followed their old friend inside.

* * *

After making room arrangements and dropping off their things, the five rejoined their friends downstairs, occupying what was probably the largest table in the whole town. Many fond hugs and warm words were exchanged between the Adepts, and even a friendly handshake or two with Hama, who politely waited for the others to take their seats.

"So what exactly is going on? We came from Kalay when the soldiers wouldn't let us in," Felix inquired, and Mia quickly followed up, more kindly,

"Is it Lunpa? Are they going to attack?"

"I'm afraid it was my idea to have the soldiers stand guard. Hama had some unsettling visions about Kalay, and with Master Hammet gone, we thought it was for the best," Ivan apologized, "I'm sorry if they were rude, but I'm glad that it brought you to us. We could use the help."

"Help with what? Everything seems pretty normal here…" Garet replied, frowning with confusion.

"Well, everything but the monsters in the mines," Piers explained, a wry smile appearing on his face.

"But I thought Alchemy got rid of the monsters," Jenna wondered, unconsciously reaching for Isaac's hand.

"Well, it should have. That's why we've been trying to explore this more thoroughly. A lot of places with links to old civilizations have been undergoing some inexplicable changes. Some of miners found expansions in the ruins."

"Mercury Lighthouse had expanded and cleared out as well," Mia suddenly remarked, and Hama nodded,

"Very observant, Mia! Sheba has sent some reports of strange changes near Lalivero as well."

Jenna quickly snuck a glance at Felix, but his face remained passive as he asked,

"What would you have us do?"

"Ivan and I have pretty much dealt with the monsters here, but we'd like your help conducting a final exploration of the ruins before the villagers seal them up," Piers explained.

"First thing in the morning then?" Felix asked, after a long silence.

"I'll make sure the miners leave out some tools for you," Hama agreed, and after politely bidding goodnight to the group.

* * *

The mines were more or less how Isaac, Garet, Ivan, and Mia remembered them—dark, with a mixture of rocks and earth, though significantly dryer than before. Felix and Jenna took in their surroundings for a moment before catching up with the others; the entrance caves certainly looked like most of the other caves they'd seen before.

"Pretty boring, right? I thought so too the first time," Piers said softly, and the siblings shrugged. "You're not going to believe what's down below."

"Hey, Isaac, look! They've got the railcars fixed! Can we ride them all the way down, Ivan?" Garet asked, looking rather giddy.

"Well, we still have to go part of the way on foot, but if you want, we can take the cars."

"Finally, transportation that doesn't involve our feet!" Mia enthused, and Jenna nodded.

Riding in the railcars was far more life-threatening than the Adepts (other than Ivan and Piers) had assumed, with sudden drops and hairpin turns, all winding down towards the bottom of the mine. Mia found that she was awfully glad to be wedged between Garet and Felix, giving her someone to hold on to regardless of which way they turned. Being in such close proximity to Garet was a little unnerving, and she was blushing a little when they finally stepped out of the railcar, rather shakily. The other four Adepts were a little wobbly too as they dismounted, though not without a teasing remark from Ivan about how tightly Jenna had clung to Isaac. For a flicker of a moment, Mia wondered if she'd seen an unusual expression cross Piers' face, but she quickly dismissed it, especially when she laid eyes upon the dark, gaping hole before them. There was a long rope ladder a few feet away, and lanterns to send down along a rope for light, but the realization that _this_ was the only way back down to those ruins was certainly intimidating. It wasn't the dark or the cold or even the unknown height, but the unknown that created the writhing feeling in the pit of her stomach. When they had descended before, chasing the water statues, she had only been able to ignore her fear by believing she would never have to do it again. Noticing her nervousness, Felix placed his hand on her shoulder, a brotherly attempt at reassurance, and she smiled wanly at his kindness.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Garet exclaimed, eager to see these so-called monsters that Ivan, Piers, and Hama had described. After he and Jenna had made sure the rope of lanterns was lit, they lowered it down according to Ivan's instructions, and Garet was quick to volunteer to descend first (if only out of an impulse to impress Mia). Ivan and Jenna quickly followed, which naturally meant that Isaac went next. Felix then made his descent, kindly encouraging Mia throughout the slow climb, and Piers went last, golden eyes wary of what might meet them below.

"Wow! You weren't kidding about the changes, Ivan!" Garet cried, as the last three Adepts completed their descent. The once narrow passage had expanded to a large antechamber, smooth stones glowing teal in the flickering lantern light. As they moved forward, the room opened up to a much larger room, complete with pillars and monstrous statues, much like the living ones that Isaac and his group had defeated years ago.

"What is this place?" Felix asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"There used to only be a small chamber down here. What happened?" Isaac continued, as the two Venus Adepts explored the room further.

"And where are all those monsters you warned about?" Jenna asked, and Piers held up his hands in defeat.

"Too many questions, and all with the same answer: we don't know."

"Even Altin's elders don't know much beyond a legend of a travelling Mercury Clan, a few of which stayed here and eventually died out." Ivan added, and Mia responded, mostly to Piers,

"Do you think it could have been your people?"

"It would explain how your clan came to be so far from mine, I suppose."

"And still no monsters," Garet grumbled, "I was kind of looking forward to using my axe again."

"Typical," Jenna teased, and Isaac chuckled.

* * *

After another hour's exploration, which was entirely fruitless, they ascended back up the rope and went back to Altin's inn to clean up and regroup.

Dinner was pleasant, if not particularly delectable, and the seven Adepts were more than happy to catch up on the things they'd missed. Hama had left earlier that afternoon, in order to inform Lady Layana of the week's events. Though reluctant to part ways, exhaustion eventually sent them trudging up to bed. They had a lot of ground to cover if they were going to reach Tolbi, where Sheba had agreed to meet them, by the end of the next day.


End file.
